Your super-duper Red Sox ALDS blog roundup

Editor's note: Much like I did when the Red Sox clinched the Wild Card, I wanted to give you all a flavor for just how wide-ranging the opinions in the baseball blogosphere can be, even in Red Sox Nation itself. Consider this your American League Division Series-clinching blog roundup.

APJonathan Papelbon spray champagne at fans celebrating with him after the Red Sox beat the Angels in the American League Division Series.

From Basegirl: "Not gonna lie. Did not expect this. But I will take it. Turns out wins with house money are just as sweet. And the quote of the evening thus far goes to Tom Caron in re: the irrepressible Jonathan Papelbon. "That guy would celebrate a win in April like this if they'd put the plastic on the lockers."

From Cursed to First (which features an eye-witness account of the game): "I wish I could say I saw the throw to the plate and the safe slide by Bay, but by then all around me was such bedlam I lost sight of a good chunk of the field. I only knew that the sound around me was like its own great tidal wave crashing overhead, and I could see thousands of arms raised in triumph, and then the field came back into view again and the Sox were mobbing Lowrie at first base. And that's when "Dirty Water" started playing."

From Surviving Grady: "I want this team to win it all for Jason Bay. There it is. I've said it. I love the fact that three months ago he was playing to half-filled houses in Pittsburgh, then finds himself dropped into this madhouse of a park, where the fans quaff expensive beer and scream bloody murder, shake their a--es to Neil Diamond and build motherf---ing PUPPETS of their favorite players. This is the time of year he's usually looking into ice-fishing boat rentals. Instead, he's got his mug all over ESPN and FOX, getting champagne poured on his head by Jason Varitek."

From Wicked Good Sports: "Admit it: After Torii Hunter's two-run single to tie the game in the 8th inning, you thought the Red Sox were gonna lose that game. And after the Angels led off the 9th inning with a double, you DEFINITELY thought the Angels were going to win and that we'd face the sickening reality of a Game 5 in Anaheim, with the momentum squarely in the Angels favor.But then a blown suicide squeeze -- the 654th lapse in fundamental baseball between the two teams in this four-game series -- and just like that, you KNEW the Sox were going to win. The Angels had their chance and blew it."

From A Red Sox Fan From Pinstripe Territory: "I was on cloud negative 9 when Lester came out. I just thought, Stick with him, it's too important. Then Oki gives up a four-pitch walk. Masterson comes in, and another walk. Putting the tying runs on base on walks makes me want to just go and become a cricket fan or something. And even after the tying run scores, Tito just refuses to put in Pap. Hey, it worked out. I'm happy now, and that's the key."

From Bugs & Cranks: "It was a crazy game and a crazy series, but ultimately Anaheim's many costly miscues and inabilty to hit with men on base cost the team with the best record in the major leagues a shot at another World Series title."